Rep. Linda Sanchez Complains About her Paycheck

Cry me a river. We all know that times are tough for just about everyone. I have had friends who have experienced long stretches of unemployment, know people who are working two jobs, and even know of some recent graduates with advanced degrees who have had to resort to food stamps. So when I hear about people who collect above average salaries complain about living paycheck to paycheck, I have little sympathy, even if one has to maintain two residences on separate coasts.

Check out Congresswoman Linda Sanchez’s complaining today about her situation should the government shut down:

C’mon Sanchez, you do yourself no favors complaining to the media about this. Yes, I realize that DC and Southern California are expensive places to maintain residences, and I have no doubt that you have student loans as do many other Latino college graduates, but if you feel bad about your financial situation, please think about our gente who have bigger problems. You have some of the best benefits tax payer money can buy in addition to a husband who works as a lobbyist. You are in a better position to weather the storm should your paycheck be delayed. Now please get back to work!

20 responses so far ↓

She was specifically asked by a journalist if she could afford to give up her paycheck, and she explained why she could not. What’s the big deal? Members of Congress don’t make as much as you think, and she’s not a millionaire.

I know she’s not a millionaire, but Sanchez took the bait and complained. The fact is — she earns an above average salary. What about all of the Latino families who earn $40K or less and have more children and don’t have the luxury of lobbyist lunches, fundraising banquets, etc? Sanchez comes across as a fat cat in this clip, and she didn’t have to…she could have more artfully answered this question to express that she does in fact need and rely on her paycheck…and is working to help prevent a govt shutdown. This kind of rant is somewhat self-serving.

I guess you and I have a different idea of what a “fat cat” is. Even the term “fat cat” expresses your resentment of people who make anything above poverty wages. She doesn’t strike me as somebody living the high life, and she has to maintain two residences by law. She’s worked for everything she has, so why the resentment?

I said that Sanchez comes “across as a fat cat.” Maybe she is, and there is a double entendre there.

I don’t know why you assume that I somehow resent people who earn above poverty wages. By definition, I’m sure that I earn above poverty level wages and was raised in an above poverty environment. One of the reasons I went to college was to earn above poverty wages. However, I think that complaining about a relatively decent situation when the people she represents may be be even more stretched (facing foreclosure, unemployment, having to feed more than one child, medical bills, etc) is not a good move.

Sanchez could have said this:

“Yes, I rely on my congressional salary to make ends meet. I am not as wealthy as some of my colleagues so forgoing my paycheck would be challenging for me, but I know that my situation is relatively better than many in my district who have been suffering from the aftermath of the Great Recession. I’m thankful to be in a position to try to improve things in our country and fight for those who are even less fortunate than I am, and this is why I believe we should work for a budget deal that does X,Y, and Z.”

She did not need to ramble on about her child, the two residences, student loans, etc. Keeping things short and sweet would have been more effective. And if finances are her weakness, I don’t know what she has to gain my airing that on a cable news network.

Anna, FYI the beginning average salary for a first year congressperson is $174,000 which is guaranteed by law . No, she’s not a millionaire, but I’ve lived on both coasts and you can buy a nice residence for around $2,500 a month… In fact, I’m in the military facing this issue. I have a house on both coasts (one of which I’ve been trying to sell for the last 7 months) with 2 kids and having to pay back my collage debt with an awesome salary of $35,000 a year. I believe what the outrage is based on is her “consideration” of whether she can afford to give up her paycheck. My family and I, along with 350,000+ other families, have no such luxury. Just another point of view.

Sanchez complains about money, she earns 3x the average wage of working Americans. She says she maintains residences on two coasts, yet look at her disclosure forms she rents her house out in Lakewood, and lives with her husband in CT. She recently sold her condo in DC for a handsome profit and took a second mortgage on her home in Lakewood, these are not the signs of a person who is struggling financially. She needs to walk a mile in our shoes.

She may not be a millionaire but neither are any of the people she is voting to keep from being paid either. Do you think we would have a military if they were millionaires? I have two siblings that will not get paid if this happens, why should they go without & not her or any of these elected officials? If the government shuts down all should go without or none.

I never said it wasn’t a good salary, only that it wasn’t enough to make her a “fat cat,” whatever that means. In fact she came off in that interview as somebody who doesn’t know how to manage her money.

Sanchez is lawyer who didn’t have any children until she was almost 40. She attended public universities, so those student loans shoud have been paid off already. She took out a second mortgage on her house in Lakewood? Houses in Lakewood are not expensive, so that house should have been paid off by now. Also, everyone should have at least a year’s worth of living expenses saved up, which she clearly does not, as she stated she was living paycheck to paycheck.

I have to hand it to my grandparents. My grandfather worked in a factory for 38 years, and he was never in debt a day in his life. His house was paid off and he always saved up to buy his cars (used) in cash. He never even had a credt card! After he retired he took vacations, etc. He’s in his 80s now and lives a very relaxed, healthy and happy life. (He only had two kids.)

I mean,what’s up with these rotten apples- the twin congresstrolls- Sanchez sisters?

Any way you cut it Congresswoman Linda Sanchez is a pathetic excuse of a (supposed) Latino leader.

Congresswoman Linda Sanchez -“no tiene nada de verguenza”.

She is a shame and an embarrassment to Mexicans going on national TV whining and whimpering about how she is going to suffer if the government shuts down.boo hoo hoo..give me a break!

What a self-centered freak-besides being a sorry excuse of a human being she is also extremely selfish obviously prioritizing her own selfish needs above those of the truly suffering Mexican people who in the vast majority are the poorest of the poor and colud only dream of ever making $174,000 plus innumerable perks,privieleges and who in the hell knows what other under the table trancas she has pulled over the years.

What a pathetic and disgusting performance she made on national news.
My God what an embarassment for Mexicans!

I can only imagine what impressions other americans must have of the Mexican people after witnessing her sickening display of callousness,greed and beggary.

IMHO,There is no excuse for her shameless behavior and any Mexican pinheaded apologist moron who attempts to make excuses for her corruption,moral bankruptcy and incompetency has their head way up their you-know-what and should have their head examined for being not only being coo coo but also being extremely stupid.

Linda Sanchez may not be rich enough to qualify as being a “Fat Cat”,but IMHO she does fills the description of being a selfish”Fat Pig”.
That’s my opinion.

Anna said: “How can someone have an advanced degree and be on food stamps? I don’t get it. ”

I get it. Not everyone who has an advanced degree has a job right now. I know people who have been laid off and are living off of the last bit of savings or fellowship money. Hiring is not happening quickly enough to get the unemployed back to work. Advanced degree does not automatically equal job anymore. Also, the degree markets are different. Some advanced degree holders are in saturated fields like law… or in areas where hiring isn’t that great (humanities):

Anna, I think you’re missing the point. She is complaining that she cannot give up her paycheck because she has bills to pay. But, because her and her fellow Congressman have failed to do their jobs, there are a lot of families who might not be getting paychecks (mine included). If my husband failed to do his job the way Congress has, he would be docked in pay. But she isn’t, and she doesn’t think she should have to.

Now we know when Linda Sanchez is obviously lying. She bobbles her head sideways, as if to emphasize what a whopper she is telling. And she did this on television. Who advises this person? She failed to mention her lobbyist husband’s income, on top of her $174,000 a year Congressional salary, plus expenses. The self-serving nature of these two inept sisters (Loretta and Linda Sanchez) says volumes on how they conduct their public personas… profiting solely on your tax dollars without performing any, or little public service. Their voting records reflect that, as well as their inability to tell the truth to the public who finances their easy living. These are repulsive and shameless human beings.

I completely agree… Linda and Loretta Sanchez are repulsive human beings. They are the dead weight of the Democratic Party, feeding from the public trough without contributing time or effort to creating meaningful legislation that will recognize, or protect the taxpayer. Watching Linda Sanchez scramble on Television no less, to rationalize her greedy perspective is enough to upset your stomach. This condescending aristocracy mentality that both these sisters convey to the taxpayer is enough to make you sick. They are proof that a college education doesn’t guarantee higher intelligence, or a willingness to do what is right. As usual, this is great journalism from this blog. Now you see and hear the slugs your tax dollars are supporting.